New York State Archaeological Association
The New York State Archaeological Association is the primary organization for professional and avocational archaeologists in New York State. From its birth in Rochester in 1916, when the state archaeologist/Seneca Nation member, Dr. Arthur Parker, formed the Lewis Henry Morgan Chapter, it has grown in size to sixteen chapters that span the state from Long Island to Buffalo. Over the years, the Association has been involved in excavation, preservation, and public education regarding some of the most important archaeological sites in the Northeast.
In 1922, the NYSAA filed with the NYS Regents Office to become an educational corporation. The goals of the Association were:
- To promote the study of New York state archaeology, to encourage the cataloging and preserving of archaeological collections, and to record the results of the scientific excavations
- To preserve and protect archaeological sites within New York State
- To create a public appreciation of New York State archaeological resources
The Association publishes 3 newsletters per year and a journal called The Bulletin. The New York State Archaeological Association also sponsors an annual conference in the spring of each year that is open to the public. The conference location varies but is always hosted by one of the local chapters of NYSAA. Each of its 16 chapters also holds public lectures and sometimes tours of archaeological sites in their region, and provides archaeological themed activities for members, such as, participation in local professional archaeological excavations, participation in archaeological laboratory work including cataloguing archaeological collections, and report preparation. Some chapters produce newsletters and/or journals.